1996 College Basketball

1. Tony Delk: Was the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. He set a championship game record with seven three-pointers and scored 24 points and had seven rebounds.

He was the MVP of the Midwest regional. He scored 22 points vs. San Jose St. in round one and added 25 more against #9 Wake Forest in the regional final, which included 4-5 threes.

Delk was named first team All-American by most major publications and was also the SEC Player of the Year.

He led the Wildcats with 17.9 points per game while shooting 44.3% on threes and 49.4% from the field. He also averaged nearly two steals per contest.

Kentucky went 34-2 and 16-0 in the SEC and finished #2 in the final polls. They would beat four of the top 15 teams in the final AP poll on their way to the national title.

Big Blue took out #12 Utah by 31, #9 Wake by 20 to get to the Final Four. They would avenge an earlier loss by knocking out #1 UMass 81-74 as Delk scored 20.

In the title game Kentucky held off #15 Syracuse 76-67.

2. Tim Duncan: Was first team All-American, and the ACC Player of the Year.

He was named ACC Tournament MVP after a 27 point 22 rebound effort over top seed Georgia Tech. He set tournament records for most rebounds in a final (22) and tournament (56).

He became the first player in ACC history to lead the league in scoring (19.1), rebounding (12.3), blocks (3.8), and field goal % (55.5).

Duncan had two double-doubles to start NCAA play. He put in 27-13 in the sweet 16 win over Louisville, despite coming up with the flu.

In the regional final loss to Kentucky Duncan finished with 14-16-6 in 39 minutes.

Wake Forest finished 26-6 and #9 in the polls. Duncan helped them to the 7^th best defense in the country (61.3 PPG).

3. John Wallace: He was named to the NCAA All-Tournament team, All-West Regional team and was a consensus 2^nd team All American.

He was named to the first team All Big East regular season and tournament teams.

Wallace averaged 22.2 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 2.4 assist per game. He scored over 30 fives during the season.

He shined during the NCAA tournament with several memorable performances. He had 18 points in each of Syracuse’s early wins over Montana St. and Drexel.

In the sweet 16 against Georgia he had 30-15. It was his pass that set up Jason Cipolla’s tying jumper to force overtime. He then scored the go ahead bucket with less than three seconds in the extra session of Syracuse’s 83-81 win.

He had a game high 21 in the Final Four win over #19 Mississippi St. as he played all 40 minutes.

In the final against #2 Kentucky, Wallace carried the Orangemen with 29 of their 67 points and added 10 rebounds. Syracuse would get to within four points late in the second half until Wallace fouled out.

Syracuse got to their first Final Four in nine years after knocking out #4 Kansas 60-57. They finished 29-9, 12-6 in the Big East and #15 in the final polls.

NFL 1995

1. Brett Favre: Was the NFL MVP, Offensive Player of the Year and unanimous first team All- Pro. He was also the starter for the NFC Pro Bowl team (7-14 114 yards TD).

He led the NFL in passing yards with 4413 and TDs with 38 (3^rd most in a season).

Favre was 2nd in league completions (359), rating (99.5), yds /attempt (7.7), and 6^th in comp. % (63.0).

In his final seven games he threw for 21 TDs vs. just 2 Ints as Green Bay went 6-1. He amassed 300+ yards four of those games and over 122.0 QB rating five times.

In the Wildcard round against Atlanta, Favre was 24-35 199 yards and 3 TDs (111.5 rating) as the Packers hammered the Falcons 37-20.

He led Green Bay’s stunning upset of the defending champion 49ers 27-17 in San Francisco. He threw for 299 yards and two scores on 21-28 passing. His two first half TD tosses gave the Packers a 21-0 lead.

He helped Green Bay to a 4^th quarter lead on the road at much favored Dallas in the NFC title game. Favre threw for 307 more yards and 3 TDs. His one-yard scoring pass to Robert Brooks put the Packers in front in the 3^rd quarter.

Green Bay would eventually lose to Dallas 38-27. The Pack went 11-5 and won their first division title since 1972, and advanced to the NFC title game for the first time since Vince Lombardi coached.

2. Emmitt Smith: Set the NFL record with his 25 touchdowns. He was runner up for the MVP, unanimous All-Pro and NFC Pro Bowler.

He led the league in carries (377), yard (1,773), points (150), and yards from scrimmage (2,148).He was 4^th in yards/carry (4.7).

He added 62 catches (2^nd on team) for 375 yards.

Emmitt had 11 100 yard games including four with at least 150.

He was the first and only player in NFL historywith five straight 1.400 yard seasons rushing.

His best game came on Monday Night in Week 1 at New York. Smith ran 60 yards for a touchdown on the game’s third play. He went on to score three more times and run for 163 on just 21 carries.

In the Divisional round win over the Eagles, Smith had 99 yards rushing, 40 receiving and one-yard TD run.

He put Dallas into their third Super Bowl in four years with his performance in the NFC Championship. He gave the Cowboys the lead in the 2^nd quarter with a short TD run, right before halftime.

In the decisive 4^th quarter, he scored the go-ahead and clinching TD. Smith finished the day with 150 yards on 35 carries.

He added two more short TD runs in the Super Bowl, including a four yarder to ice the Cowboys title.

Dallas won their 3^rd Super Bowl in four years. They hammered Philadelphia 30-11 and came from behind to beat Green Bay 38-27 to get to advance to Super Sunday. They beat Pittsburgh 27-17 in the Big Game.

The Cowboys went 12-4, won the NFC East and had the top record in the NFC. They finished 3^rd in the NFL with 27.2 Points per game.

3. Jerry Rice: Was a unanimous All-Pro and Pro Bowler. He set an NFL record with 1848 yard receiving (still stand today.)

His 122 catches were just one short of Herman Moore’s record of 123 in 1994. He averaged over 15 yard per reception.

He also was third in the NFL with 15 receiving touchdowns. He was tied for second with 17 total TDs. His 1884 yards from scrimmage were 3^rd in the NFL.

In the 1995 season Rice became the leading receiver in yards and catches for a career in NFL history.

Against the 8-1 Cowboys, helped lead the 5-4 49ers resurgence with 5 catches 161 yards and an 81-yard TD bolt.

He had a career day against Minnesota on Monday Night Football with 14 grabs, a career high and MNF high 289 yards and 3 TDs (all n the first half).

In the playoff loss to Green Bay, Rice had 11 catches (tied playoff high) for 117 yards.

San Fransisco went 11-5 and won the NFC West as well as a 1st round bye. They topped the NFL with 28.6 points per game.